Potent inhibitory effect of the cyclolignan picropodophyllin (PPP) on human adrenocortical carcinoma cells proliferation.

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a very aggressive tumor with a poor prognosis. Available treatments for this type of cancer are far from being satisfactory. The IGF signalling pathway represents an important mechanism for ACT growth and constitutes a relevant therapeutic target. We investigated the effect of picropodophyllin (PPP), a member of the cyclolignan family and a new inhibitor of IGF-1R, on proliferation of human adrenocortical cell lines H295R and SW-13. PPP inhibits proliferation and induces an important accumulation in G2/M phase and apoptosis of H295R and SW-13 cells. Our data suggest that PPP may be a promising candidate for drug development for adrenocortical carcinoma.